Ex-offenders get chance to build careers

Ex-offenders are being
actively recruited by a new social
enterprise in Bristol to refurbish
rundown empty properties.

Bristol Together, launched last
month, plans to raise £1.5million
over the next year through a
bond developed with ethical bank
Triodos and it has plans to expand
in other cities. So far it has raised
£600,000 through bonds.

The money will help buy more
properties and employ more ex-offenders
at the minimum wage.
Ex-offenders are being encouraged
to use the work as a launch
pad to finding more lucrative
jobs with private companies.

Bristol Together says those who
have already taken on workers
from its pilot project include big
construction firms. In the next
few years Bristol Together plans
to recruit 200 ex-offenders.

Chief executive Paul Harrod
says: ‘We formed Bristol Together
from a group of social enterprises
to focus on job creation,
particularly for ex-offenders and
the long-term unemployed. We
decided to do it through the
refurbishment of properties so it
would be financially sustainable.

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‘We are creating new jobs and
giving ex-offenders a proven
track record. Through employment
we can get them off benefits,
have them pay taxes and
reduce reoffending rates.’

Lydia Westmore of Triodos
Bank says: ‘In the past, business
models like this have used grants
or Government funding. We
worked with Bristol Together to
build a model to seed continuous
jobs and be self-funding.

‘Investors have the security of
knowing there is property behind
the investment and they get community
investment tax relief.’

A recent YouGov study shows
that one in five employers think
that ex-offenders are a valuable
talent pool. And the CfBT Education
Trust found that 30 per cent
of larger employers had taken on
an ex-offender.